Basilisk Dreams
by KDeVine
Summary: This is my version of the story of Astoria Greengrass who eventually marries Draco in the Harry Potter series and Draco Malfoy. Year Two. Sequel to The Sorcerers Demise.
1. Chapter 1

**Happy Birthday Draco Malfoy, Again.**

It was June 5, 1992. Summer always seemed to start the same way for me, at Draco Malfoy's birthday party. It was there that I would find myself isolated from all of the guests and would spent the majority of the party either sketching in my drawing book out in the yard or around the manor somewhere with the house elves. The adults were always too busy gathering in the library or Lucius' study discussing matters of the Dark Lord, and being that I was always the youngest of the kin, Draco and my sister's friends liked to pretend that I didn't exist. Which was just fine by me. Their gang, as they liked to refer to themselves, was made up of some of the worst people. I especially disliked the one Miss Pansy Parkinson in particular. I hated the way she would forcibly giggle at everything that Draco said, I hated the way that she seemingly hung on his every word, and I especially hated the way she hung herself all over him. Every year for as long as I could remember we've gone through this same old song and dance.

I took solace in the fact that I was ten now. If I went to muggle schooling I would be entering grade six and would be headed to middle school. Physically I was developing more into a young woman everyday. Mostly I was excited by the fact that I only had to make it through this year before I would be joining them at Hogwarts. Then I would get to see Draco everyday and would be far, far away from my mother. My father, though rather eccentric, I loved. My mother, however, had within the past few years turned to the drink and has become rather unbearable. I was bloody excited that I would be spending the school year at the _Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts_. I don't know if I was more excited to study the arts among other witches and wizards of my age and the probability of maybe finally having a best mate, or the fact that I'd be away from my mother for most of the year.

Since I would be attending a wizarding school this term I was excited that I could actually tell people where I would be studying instead of making up lies. The school was in London, and thanks to the short time I spent studying in London last year I knew the area quite well and was excited to return. I enjoyed city life, **a lot**. I wasn't cut out for country side living. I planned on one day moving to the city after I finished my schooling. I found the muggle world rather fascinating but could never speak of it, especially since I came from a family in whom supported the Dark Lord. I believe we are all aware on his stand on muggles and muggle supporters.

"That's rather good," I heard a voice call out to me from my right. I looked up from my current sketch, of course another of Pansy dying in a vicious way and was shocked to see who the voice had come from. "Mind if I join you?"

"I don't see why not," I smiled up at the boy. As shocked as I was, I couldn't say that I was surprised. Blaise and I were both loners. I was sure he was just trying to escape from the idiots that were Draco's gang and happened to run away to the same spot that I had found. I quickly went back to shading my drawing, making sure I got the pained expression on her face just right.

"You really don't fancy her, huh?" he asked with a chuckle.

"No, not particularly. She doesn't quite fancy me either. She's always throwing my stuff around and making me chase after my pencils. It's rather rude. Being that I am much smaller than her and not aloud to use magic yet, I settle for this," motioning to my sketch book I looked up and smiled at him. "How about you? How'd you find your way over to my hideaway?"

"These kinds of gatherings aren't really my thing. I only come because my mother pushes me to. She says that I need to be more sociable and hang out with children of my own year. Honestly I'm just indifferent to all of it. However, it does shut my mother up. How about you?"

"You mean besides my now obvious Pansy hatred?" I asked him and he nodded. "My sister doesn't it like it when I crowd around. That and there aren't any other children my age around. I don't mind really, I guess I prefer being alone. Well I don't know if I prefer it per se, but I am rather used to it." I laughed at myself before continuing on. "And I did mention my distain for Pansy, right?" I smiled up him and he laughed with me.

"Well speak of the devil," Blaise spoke under his breath as he motioned over to the right. I followed his gaze and my eyes landed on Pansy making her way around the house, obviously looking for something. When her eyes landed on us her gaze hardened and she started to make her way over. I quickly shut my sketch book and placed in my bag before looking back up.

"There you are, Blaise," she spoke as he fond us. "Draco sent me to find you."

"Is that so?" He spoke indifferently. I was really starting to like him.

"What are you doing out here with the freak?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared down at me, trying to break me under her cold gaze, I just gave her one right back.

"If you'd like to see a freak Pansy," I started, venom laced on my every word, "I suggest you look in the mirror." I could hear Blaise stifling his laughter from next me and a smile slowly started to play upon my lips. He huffed and turned to leave.

"Are you coming Zabini?"

"Pansy, I wouldn't willingly go anywhere with you." That remark made me smile, and my smile grew even more as I watched him relax more in his position on the ground next me. She huffed once more before turning on her heels and back from whence she came.

"Pansy, 0; and point to us." Blaise laughed as I brought back out my sketch book. I started going at my sketch more fiercely than before. "She's such a twat."

"Don't listen to a word she says. You're not a freak; she just needs to put other people down is all. She is _nothing_ to write home about."

"Draco seams to think so," I said with a sigh.

"I seam to think what?" I pulled my head to my right and watched as Draco made his way over to Blaise and me.

"Private conversation, Malfoy." I shot a thankful smile his way and turned back to Draco.

"How are you murdering Pansy this year, Tori?" He asked me with a smile as he sat down on my other side looking down at my pad. He laughed when he saw it. "Does she really need that many spears through her head?"

"Well I just added a few more after she called me a freak." I snapped defensively. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't listen to her Tori, you're not a freak." I know that Blaise had just told me the same thing but it meant more to me coming from him, from Draco.

"Oh! Before I forget," I started to dig through my bag before I found what I was looking for, the present I had made for him for his birthday. "Here," I started as I handed it to him. "Happy birthday!"

I watched him closely has he unwrapped it. I had drawn him a scene with all the members of his favorite quidditch team. I knew which one was his favorite from all the posters in his room and since I couldn't buy him anything and I knew he liked my drawings I thought he'd like it.

"Wow, Tori, you drew this?" He asked and I nodded. "Blaise look at this, it looks just like them."

"That's great Astoria; it looks like a photograph not a drawing." He smiled at me, handing the drawing back to Draco.

"Thanks, Tori," Draco said as he leaned over and gave me one of those awkward side hugs. "It's great I'm going to go hang it up on my way back to the nitwits in the back." As he stood he looked over at Blaise. "You coming Zabini?"

"It was nice talking with you, Astoria." He spoke as he stood.

"You too Blaise. Happy birthday, again, Draco." He smiled at me once more before the two of them made their way back towards the house and I found myself alone again. I didn't mind it though. I just might have a friend in Blaise Zabini, and that brightened my mood.

* * *

Soon it was time for cake and everyone had reconvened in the Malfoy's dining room. I found myself sitting at the end of the table a lone, sketching out the scene before me. Draco and the way the light from the candles lit his face, the way his parents looked at him adoringly as they placed the cake in front of him. Before long I found myself being joined by one of my favorite inhabitants of Malfoy Manor, a strange little house elf named Dobby.

Dobby was a strange little elf, but I enjoyed his company greatly. We both had a nasty habit of eavesdropping and we loved to gossip about all the happenings together. Though the Malfoy's tended to treat him rather badly, for which I don't approve. In my eyes he did nothing to deserve the horrible treatment that he would receive. The house was always clean, the food was always on the table on time, and I think it's just a rich snobby wizard thing. I never treated him like just another house elf. I always treated him as a friend.

"Miss Tori, it is good to see you," he said to me with a smile as he hid behind me.

"It is good to see you too Dobby. Heard anything interesting lately?"

"Dobby, mustn't tell. It would be bad for Dobby to say what he heard the master speak of, but terrible things, terrible things." He began to slam his head into my chair as to punish himself. Luckily everyone else in the room was too busy eating cake and talking amongst themselves to notice the banging.

"Dobby, stop that. There's no need for that with me. You know I never tell a sole."

"Dobby is sorry Miss Tori. Dobby didn't mean to."

"I know Dobby, it's okay. Tell me what you've heard."

"We mustn't talk here, follow me."

I slipped out of my chair slowly, sliding my sketch book and things into my bag and sliding it over my shoulder. I knew where we were headed, where we always went to discuss matters that shouldn't be heard my others, my favorite corner in the Malfoy library. I slipped through the all the people and made my way down the hall and into the library. It was empty besides for me and Dobby and the book.

When I was younger I used to write in that book, and it would write back to me. My father scolded me most fiercely when he found me with it. He told me that the book was very important. That it belonged to the Dark Lord and that he and Lucius were to watch over it closely. He told me that it held a piece of him. That it was a Horcrux. He told me that I was never to play with it again, even though I found where he hid the diary in the library and would often speak with Tom Riddle who my father had told me was the Dark Lord himself.

After that day I became infatuated with Horcruxes. I took to the library and tried to find all that I could on the subject. A Horcrux is an object, but not just any object you see. A Horcrux can only be created by taking the life of another. It is then when the soul is the weakest and you can use dark magic to slit it and transfer it into an object. The goal being immortality. My father told me that there were many like this book, which only confirmed my suspicions that the Dark Lord was still alive out there.

But this book was special. This book was given to Lucius and my father for a reason. It was meant to reopen _The Camber of Secrets_. My father told me all about the camber, and what had happened the last time the chamber was open. That he was there attending Hogwarts with the Dark Lord, they had been friends then. My father wanted it to be me who would re-open the chamber. I never wanted that. My father always said that since I was so familiar with the diary and communicated well with the part of the Dark Lord's soul that was left there, not to mention my ability to talk to snakes, in his mind made me the perfect candidate. I didn't want that at all. After the incident with Quirrell at Hogwarts they must be getting impatient.

"Hogwarts will not be safe. Dobby thinks, it will not be safe."

"You're right Dobby it will not be safe."

* * *

After my talk with Dobby, I found myself mindlessly making my way back towards the dinning room. I was so heavy in thought and on auto pilot that I did not even notice when I made it back to my seat. Someone else did though.

"Tori, earth to, Tori." My sister snapped her long fingers in front of me.

"Yeah, Daphne?"

"Draco's going to open is presents, aren't you coming?" I shook my head at her and she just huffed as she walked away. I didn't know why I needed to move closer. He was only opening them at the end of the table.

I looked around the room and noticed that the adults had left again. They must have all been up in the study discussing the plans for opening the Chamber. I wonder if Draco knew about this…


	2. Chapter 2

I never did get to talk to Draco about the conversation I had with Dobby at his birthday party. Before I knew it, it was August and our families found ourselves in Diagon Alley gathering our school supplies. When we arrived Lucius took Draco and I on an errand he needed to run. We headed off down Knockturn Alley towards Borgin and Burkes, our current destination.

Lucius started to let me tag along a lot more recently. With my father still gone I feel that he felt a bit responsible for me. My father and Mr. Malfoy had been friends since school, though he was never very fond of my mother. He only ever put up with her since my father fancied her and eventually married her and had my sister and myself. Not to mention my mother and Cissy are very distantly related.

As we made our way down the alley many of the other witches and wizards that we passed on the way nodded their heads towards us a sign of respect.

As we walked into the store I took the time to look at all of the items on display. In a glass case near the back of the store a withered hand sat on a cushion. There was a bloodied pack of cards, evil looking masks adorned the walls, but what I found the most fascinating was the assortment of human bones that lay upon the countertop. I wanted to reach out to touch them but I knew better than to do so. My decision was only rectified after Lucius turned to Draco and myself and told us not to touch anything after he rang the bell that shared the countertop with the bones.

I looked over to Draco who had been reaching for a glass eye and he turned to his father and spoke, "I thought you said you were going to buy me a present."

"I told you that I would buy you a racing broom," Lucius replied as he drummed his fingers on the counter.

"What is the good of that if I am not on the House team?" Draco went on in a rather bad-tempered way.

"Oh, Draco," I started, "You know you will make the team this year. I watch you practice with Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle and you are quite good. You will make it for sure." I looked up to him with a smile on my face and pride in my eyes.

"Thanks, Tori." He responded with a smirk but continued on with rant. "That twit Harry Potter got himself special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor and a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. He's not even very good; it is just because he's _famous_."

"You have told me this at least a dozen times already Draco," Mr. Malfoy responded looking at Draco, "And I would remind you that it is not judicious to appear less than fond of Harry Potter. Most of our kind, after all, refers to him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear."

A man appeared behind the counter suddenly, nervously smoothing his greasy hair back from his face. Mr. Malfoy looked up at him with recognition, "Mr. Borgin."

"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure. Delighted, and young Master Malfoy and Miss Greengrass, too—charmed. How maybe I be of assistance? Can I show what we just got in today-"

Lucius cut the man off before he could finish his sales pitch, "I am not buying today, Borgin, but selling."

"Selling?" The smile dropped from the man's face.

Lucius pulled a roll of parchment from his cloak and handed it over to the greasy man. "You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids—"

I stopped paying attention to Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Borgin and made my way over to Draco's side. We stopped at a magnificent necklace of opals.

"Beautiful isn't it?" He asked me with a smirk.

"Deadly too," I responded with a smirk of my own as I pointed down at the card that sat next to the necklace reading, _Do Not Touch. Cursed – Has Claimed the lives of nineteen muggle owners to date._ "But yes, it is rather beautiful. I am particularly fond of opals. Though I must say emeralds are my favorite."

"And why is that?"

"Well their color—green. They would compliment my Slytherin robes the best, don't you think?"

"Well you still have a year before you have to worry about that."

"A year too long," I spoke with a pout. "I wish I could go with you and Daphne this year. If I was not off to study at the _Wizarding Academy of Preforming Arts _this year I do not know what I would do. My drunken mess of a mother drives me insane."

"Well the year will be over before you know it and you'll be riding in a cabin with your sister and myself to Hogwarts."

"It just sounds so lovely, everything that I hear from my sister. I simply can not wait to be there and see it for myself."

"Well it would be even better if it weren't for the mudbloods and that twit Potter."

"Well I refuse to let thoughts of Harry Potter ruin my perfectly lovely Hogwarts fantasy."

"You are a strange one, Tori."

"But that's why you fancy me," said with a wink as I fluttered towards a rather strange cabinet in the corner of the store. "Hey, Draco, come look at this."

He was at my side quickly. The door was open just slightly and I could have sworn I saw a bit of a something reflecting from the small amount of sunlight that was being let in from the window. Draco reached his hand out to open the door when Lucius exclaimed that we were done here, and pulled the two of us out of the store. I walked with them back up Knockturn Alley and towards Diagon Alley, but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been sitting inside the cabinet.

* * *

When we reemerged into Diagon Alley I had started my way towards Gingotts to meet up with my mother and sister when suddenly I saw a wave of gingers making their way towards the direction in which I had came. And there standing in the middle of them was Harry Potter.

I decided to get in a little closer to hear what it was that they were chatting about. I could not help myself. As I have told you before I have a serious eavesdropping problem.

The redheaded male who was currently speaking to Harry was Author Weasley. He worked with my father at the Ministry and I had met him a few times before in passing on the few occasions that I had accompanied my father to work.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes? I heard Harry ask Weaslebee and Granger as they headed up the Gingotts stairs. "Malfoy and his father." I knew there was someone in that cabinet.

"Did Lucius buy anything?" Mr. Weasley asked them.

"No, he was selling," Harry, replied.

"So he is worried," Mr. Weasley spoke with a grim satisfaction that I did not so much appreciate. "I would love to get him for _something._" At that point I had heard enough and I made my way up towards the doors of Gringotts bank.

On my accent up the stairs I made sure to bump into Harry. I apologized after of course but I shot him a look as to say that I know you were hiding in that cabinet. Just as I was about to continue on my way, Mr. Weasley recognized me.

"Miss Greengrass it is lovely to see you. Astoria's father works over as the ministry with me. How is your father Astoria, I haven't seen him around as of late."

"It is lovely to see you as well, Mr. Weasley," I said with a polite bow. "And father has been sent away on business. I have not seen in a good while as well."

"Have you started at Hogwarts yet Astoria?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she noticed my presence.

"No, not yet, Mrs. Weasley. I will be attending next year. For this term I'm off to the Wizarding Academy of Preforming Arts."

"That's lovely, dear. Are you a dancer?"

"Yes, ma'am. Though I am a much better artist." I said with a smile.

I spoke with the heads of the Weasley family for a bit longer before I dismissed myself. "I must be going now. I was meant to meet my mother and sister here."

"Daphne, correct? She's in Harry and Ron's grade right?"

"Correct. Well I must be off. It was nice chatting with you Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley." With one last bow and one more knowing glance at Harry I continued on my assent up the Gringotts stairs.

"What I charming girl," I could hear Mrs. Weasley speak from a distance as I hurried into the bank finding my mother and sister rather quickly. Unfortunately for me my encounter outside would not be the last I would have with the Weasley clan today. I would run into them yet again at Flourish and Blotts, and I would watch on in horror, as Lucius would slip my magic journal into the cauldron of that twit Ginny Weasley. It would now be pointless to talk to anyone about what I had talked about with Dobby now, and I was quite sure that Draco knew seeing that the plan was already in motion. The Chamber of Secrets was to be opened this year at Hogwarts, and I would not be the one to do it. As much as I told myself that I did not want to be the one to open the Chamber, part of me held a little jealously for Ginny. She was going to unleash something great and I just wish I were to be going to school this year to be able to witness it.

* * *

It seemed that with the blink of an eye our families were gathered up once again at King's Cross Station, and I had to watch the keeper of my heart and my sister board the train with that pug-faced monster. I was extremely grateful that I would be making my way to the _Wizarding School of the Dramatic Arts_ as soon as the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station. If I had to spend the rest of my year alone at home with my drunken excuse of a mother I think I would go insane.

I watched from afar as Pansy shamelessly flirted with Draco, checking ever so often to make sure that I was watching. I balled my fists at my sides and imagined myself throwing a good punch at her face, the twat. I look forward to the day when my fist meets her nose and shatters the cartilage within it.

The whistle blew signaling the train would be taking off, and families ran around frantically to say their final farewells. My mother embraced my sister while I stood off to the side and waved slightly. My sister shook her head at me and just boarded the train behind that rubbish Parkinson. I watched on as Cissy and Lucius said their goodbyes to Draco. I smiled and waved at him from afar only causing him to open up his arms for a cuddle and I ran into them happily.

"Don't forget to write," I said to him as I pulled away and he made his way towards the door of the train.

"Don't forget to study up so you can do my homework," he replied with a smirk.

Oh that boy will be the end of me, not that I mind it of course.


	3. Chapter 3

The Wizarding School of Dramatic Arts was more than I could have ever dreamed of. With its numerous dance rooms, and its breath-taking auditoriums I was in heaven. From the moment I walked through the threshold of the building I wished that I never had to leave it. There were witches and wizards of many ages, some of which I would have thought would have been off to Hogwarts but I later learned that they opted to study here full time. I learned that they had a summer program for those who wished to go to Hogwarts as well. I knew that I would take advantage of that program. The longer I could stay away from home the better. I signed up for the summer classes right away.

We had an orientation where the instructors showed us around the school and gave us an outline of what we would be doing for the year. We collected our new dance gear, and I was happy to find a new pair of black toe shoes within it. I had brought my own pair from home but they were pretty worn. I would be taking an advanced creative expression class in both dance and visual art, advanced artistic perception classes, aesthetic-valuing classes, and historical and cultural context classes. Since I was double majoring in dance and visual arts I would have my art classes on in the afternoon while my dance classes would be in the morning and they would alternate during the week.

The dorms were lovely. I shared my room with three other girls that were of my age. The room was set up more like a small apartment. There were four small bedrooms, a bathroom, and common room area. In my room there was a bed, a desk, a dresser, a small beside table and a small closet. I was excited to decorate my room. My mother had taken me to the shop just last week to pick up a few things that I would need. I bought myself a lush green comforter, I may not be at Hogwarts in the Slytherin commons yet but I could pretend. I bought a few organizers and sheets and nick-knacks to decorate with. I brought a few things from home too: my art things, my favorite lamp, and my favorite pictures from home. I brought one of my family from our last holiday, it is my favorite of us since it is the last time I remember us being so happy. My father's eyes beamed and my mother didn't reek of drink and my sister and I got along famously that trip. I brought one of the Malfoy family and mine together from last Christmas, dressed in our best for the masquerade, and finally I had one of Draco and I from his birthday. Cissy had insisted that she get one before my mother, sister, and I headed back home. It was my favorite and I placed that one on the small beside table.

After I had finished unpacking I threw myself upon the bed and sighed. I took a deep breath and felt my eyes begin to shut when I heard a tapping on my dormitory window. I sprang up suddenly and directed my eyes toward the catalysis of the sound, the familiar dark owl. I rushed up and let him in and I watched as he settled on my desk. I greeted him happily feeding him a bit of my leftover dinner as I happily ripped the parchment from the bird's leg.

_Tori,_

_Potter and Weaslebee made quite the entrance this year. When I did not spot them on the train I thought that Dumbledore had finally come to his senses and expelled the two gits. However, I couldn't get so lucky. Somehow the two morons got their hands on a flying car and flew themselves to Hogwarts. The best part though is that those two idiots ended up flying the thing right into the Whomping Willow. That damn tree didn't even crush them to bits! I thought for sure they would be expelled this time, but no such luck._

_He'll screw up again somehow, he always does._

_I hope school is going well for you._

_-Draco_

I smiled as I read the letter over. Not because Potter survived the Whomping Willow surprisingly unscathed but because it was from Draco. I would have loved to hear that the violent tree crushed Potter. What is a Whomping Willow? A Whomping Willow is a valuable, very violent species of magical plant. It attacks anyone and anything that comes within the range of its branches unless you know how to subdue it, of course. The one planted on the grounds at Hogwarts is the most famous of its kind. I had read about them from one of my sister's schoolbooks.

I had a nasty habit of taking her books and reading them before she would take off to Hogwarts, and then Draco would send me his assignments that he did not have to time for. I being a push over would always break down and complete the assignments for him. I really needed to work on becoming a force to be reckoned with, and I was slowly. With my father missing still and my mother becoming a drunk and my sister and I pretending to get along I found myself growing colder and colder each day. My innocence was slowly slipping away from me, but I welcomed it. I needed to.

In a years time I would be embarking on my first year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I would have to deal with pug-face Parkinson's taunting everyday instead of just a few times a year. I had to be strong; I couldn't let her get to me. I was not going to let her ruin the school experience that I so longed for. I would not let her try to keep the other Slytherins of my year from befriending me. I was not going to let her try to bother me by throwing herself at Draco every time I was around.

I grabbed a piece of parchment from my desk and wrote a reply. I told him all about how disappointed I was that Potter was not expelled as well. I told him about my dorm and about all of my classes. I made a point to stress how busy I would be in my own studies that I did not know if I would have time to help him with his own. I tied the parchment to the owl's leg and let him out the window, waving as he went.

"Getting letters from home already? We haven't been away a day yet." My dorm mate Adaryn Macer spoke as she entered my room. She was a doll like girl, small in stature with big blue doe eyes and banged brown hair.

"No, it's from a mate of mine at Hogwarts."

"A boy friend?" She asked with a teasing tone.

"Well he is a boy yes, but just a mate." I said rather regretful.

"Is this him?" She asked as she grabbed the picture of Draco and I from my nightstand.

"Yes," I said with a nod. "That's Draco."

"He's rather fit, isn't he?" She said with a smile as she placed the photo back down. "Anyway, Veda, Silver, and I were going to get a wizard chess tournament started, but we've got an odd number. Care for a go?"

"Sure, but I must warn you, I'm rather rubbish."

"It's okay, Veda's the resident chess wizard; we'll help you with your strategy." She said with a smile and a wink as she entered the hall. "Come on then." And with that I followed her out to the main room to join the rest of my dorm mates and play wizard chess. I smiled to myself as Adaryn and I started our first game, I just may have found myself some mates at last.

* * *

"That's Amelia Raye," Silver spoke to me as we laced up our toe shoes in the girls locker room the next morning.

Silver de Pisce and I had all of the same classes and I was glad for it. Out of my three dorm mates I fancied her the most. She was a wispy thing with pale turquoise hair and silver eyes. Being a Metamorphmagi, she was considered the black sheep of her pure-blood family just as I and we bonded rather quickly. I was so excited when she told me that she would be starting her first year at Hogwarts next year along with myself and our other dorm mates. Pug-face would have to look out cause I just might have found my own gang for her to contend with.

"What about her?" I asked Silver as I stood to my toes, adjusting my leg warmers slightly.

"She's the best dancer here, or at least she thinks she is. Her family have been sending her here since they could ship her off. Watch out for her, she's not the friendliest of the students here."

"Thanks, that's good to know." I looked over at Amelia. She reminded me greatly of Pansy. She had a group of four girls fawning over her and responding to her every whim. Already she made me sick and I had yet to speak with her.

Silver and I made our way back out to the main room where we awaited the arrival of our professor, a tall stringy young wizard by the name of Aeres Chamberlayne. I have seen him dance many of times in the wizard Ballet and I was so excited to learn from him.

* * *

My first day of classes had flown by, and I could not believe that I had actually gained a few mates. I had not one for most of my life and now over night I found myself with three.

When I made my way back to my room to drop off my things before heading back out to the common area to work on my first day's art assignment with Silver I noticed my family owl sitting out on the ledge. I let him in quickly and prayed the correspondence was from my father, but it was from my sister.

_Tori,_

_You will never guess who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is. The new professor is more than just a fan of Gilderoy Lockhart like we thought; he is in fact Gilderoy Lockhart himself. It makes so much more sense now as to why we had to pick up his entire discography this year. That nutter just wanted to increase his book sales. I have no idea how they expect us to learn a thing from these books or from him. He is absolutely mad, yet all the girls fawn over him. You should have seen Granger in class this morning. Knew all the answers to all of his stupid questions._

_That poor excuse for a professor had the nerve to give us an exam on our first day! Not only that but get a load of the type of questions that were on the test:_

_What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?_

_What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

_He even had one about an ideal birthday gift or some other nonsense of the sort not to forget that the mudblood got full marks! Then that idiot let a bunch of Cornish pixies out into the class. A few of them lifted that twat Longbottom up into the air by his ears, which was rather amusing, but the rest of them went on to destroy the class room and that idiot Lockhart couldn't do anything about it. What a failure._

_Draco said that he was going to write his father of this nonsense, though I don't know what Lucius could do, really. If we're lucky hopefully we'll get a new DADA professor next year._

_Did you hear about Potter and Weasley's flying car? That ginger plight got himself a howler this morning. It was a rather great laugh._

_I can't wait to hear about your first day of classes._

_-Daphne_

Daphne and I had a good laugh this summer trying to figure out the kind of person the new Defense Against the Dark Art's professor would be after we saw that she needed to buy all of Gilderoy Lockhart's books for this term. We thought that it would be a little old woman who had a crush on the bloke and would have covered the DADA classroom with Lockhart posters and it would be to get full marks. We never really thought that it would be Lockhart himself.

Lockhart has written a crap ton of horrible books about dark creatures and his encounters with him, but a twit with a face like his makes me seriously doubt the truth of his works. You just look at his face on the cover of his books and you can just tell that those blue eyes of his have never seen a horrifying thing in his life. Women love him however and fawn over him completely. I could care less for him and if I have to have him as a teacher next year I just might throw a fit. I wonder what Draco thinks of him.

I gave Hermes, the owl, a bit of scraps I had taken up with me from dinner before grabbing some parchment from my desk and began writing back to my sister.

_Daphne,_

_I cannot believe that Dumbledore actually hired that nitwit to teach at Hogwarts. I hope that he does not make it through the year or onward to next year. Though if the rest of his exams are anything like the one he sprung on you today than at least you now know the kind of material to study. Though, I do not understand how knowing what Lockhart's favorite color is, is going to help defend you against the dark arts. And yes I did hear about Potter's adventures with the Whomping Willow, I was sad to find that he did so much damage to such a beautiful tree._

_My classes are going fantastically well and they seem like cake compared to your Lockhart dilemma. I am rather fond of my dance instructor, Aeres Chamberlayne—yes the famous dancer. Do you remember? He danced the lead in the ballet we saw a few Christmases ago. It is wonderful being able to learn from him, and my art professor is great as well, though she did already give us a bunch of assignments for tomorrow but I'm going to go work on them with one of my dorm mates as soon as I finish this letter to you._

_I share my dorm with three other girls, and can you believe that we get along quite famously? I've actually have people I can call mates! They are all pureblood as well; well Veda is half Veela though all the wizarding members of her family are pureblood. She's in the theater program here at school while minoring in dance, so we only have one glass together. Then there's Adaryn and Silver. Adaryn is in the music program so none of us girls have any classes with her, though when it comes time for the showcases we'll see her more. Silver and I have all of our classes together and we get along best. They're great and I can't wait for you to meet them! They'll be starting at Hogwarts with me next term and hopefully we all get into Slytherin together._

_Say hello to Blaise and Draco for me._

_And by the way have you heard from father yet? I was hoping that one of us would have heard from him by now._

_-Tori_

I rolled up the parchment, tied it to the owl's leg and sent Hermes on his way back to Hogwarts. I gathered up a few of my art supplies and made my way out to the common room to work on today's assignments with the girls. I wonder what Draco was up to tonight…


End file.
